Warwickshire's hopes of opening up a bigger lead at the top of Division Two were blocked by a combination of Hamish Marshall and rain as Gloucestershire held on for a draw at Edgbaston.

After blazing a century in the first innings, the former New Zealand Test batsman dug in for 62 and put on 103 in 34 overs with wicket-keeper Stephen Snell (54 not out) on a rain-shortened final day.

Resuming day four on 36-0, the Gladiators got off to a miserable start as Warwickshire picked up three wickets for the addition of just 24 runs.

Chris Woakes struck twice in quick succession to remove opener Kadeer Ali and Chris Taylor and Kiwi Chris Martin had Will Porterfield caught at slip to leave the visitors reeling at 60-3.

However, a gritty fourth-wicket partnership protected Gloucestershire from an injury-ridden batting order and helped them stay five points clear of Glamorgan at the bottom of the table.

Marshall was dismissed shortly before the end of play as Woakes finished with figures of 3-30, but Snell and Marcus North (8 not out) remained unbeaten through until stumps.

Day Three

Ian Bell played himself back into form with a brilliant double century as Warwickshire declared on 528-8 against Gloucestershire on the third day of the LV County Championship match at Edgbaston.

The clash between the top and bottom teams in Division Two swung heavily in favour of the home side when the 26-year-old England batsman made 215 from 288 balls in setting Gloucestershire a target of 192 to avoid an innings defeat.

In 10 overs before the close, openers Will Porterfield and Kadeer Ali survived until stumps and reduced the deficit to 152 by making 36-0.

Bell played with glorious certainty as he struck 32 boundaries during a scintillating second-wicket stand of 221 with Jonathan Trott - who heaped further misery on the visitors with an undefeated 164 which included 20 fours and a six.

The value of Bell's innings was more recuperative before England take on the Proteas at Lord's on July 10.

Day Two

Under-fire England batsman Ian Bell made an unbeaten 95 from 136 balls as Division Two leaders Warwickshire battled back on the second day against Gloucestershire at Edgbaston.

New Zealand pace bowler Chris Martin took 5-84 on his debut as the bottom-of-the-table west country team were dug out for 336 and Warwickshire closed 193 behind on reaching 143 for two from 45 overs.

Bell, with an eye on a good score in the build-up to the first Test against South Africa next week, was at his measured best from he outset.

Timing most of his shots to perfection, Bell hit eight boundaries on his way to 50 from 66 balls, eventualyy putting on 100 for the second wicket before his partner, Navdeep Poonia, was lbw for 26, attempting to sweep North.

Earlier Gloucestershire batted on for almost two sessions, but in losing their last eight wickets for 146, they wasted an opportunity to develop a strong position at the end of the rain-shortened first day.

Day One

Gloucestershire's Hamish Marshall hit an unbeaten century on a rain-shortened opening day of their clash with Warwickshire.

The New Zealander, now EU-qualified through Irish ancestry, was on 107 from 154 balls when a second heavy downpour ended play after just 59.4 overs.

Opener Will Porterfield had made 74 in a second-wicket stand of 176 - a new record for the county against Warwickshire.

Playing for the county instead of representing Ireland, the left-hander hit 13 fours before becoming the first Championship wicket for Kiwi seamer Chris Martin.

The only other wicket to fall came when Kadeer Ali, back in the team after a broken finger and sprained ankle, edged a delivery from Chris Woakes straight to Ian Bell at second slip.

From then on Marshall and Porterfield dominated, the Bears' bowling attack struggling to look potent until new recuit Martin struck after a 90-minute break for rain.

Although the players managed to return to the field further bad weather before tea forced umpires Martin Bodenham and Peter Willey to abandone play for the day.